All Fixed-Wing news – Page 37
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NewsArcher teams with Anduril to develop hybrid-electric defence platform
Having long explored potential defence applications for its in-development Midnight air taxi, US start-up Archer Aviation has formed a partnership with Anduril to “jointly develop” a hybrid-electric aircraft for military purposes.
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NewsGCAP industry partners fix joint venture terms for design and development phase
The partners behind a new industrial joint venture (JV) tasked with delivering a sixth-generation fighter via the three-nation Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) have agreed the terms of their collaboration, with the effort still on track to meet its targeted in-service date of 2035.
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NewsDenmark steps up domestic F-35 training after latest deliveries
Denmark’s latest batch of four Lockheed Martin F-35As touched down at its Skrydstrup air base on 6 December, with their arrival doubling the number of the fifth-generation type transferred to the country.
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NewsEurofighter nations set sights on introducing BAE’s Striker II helmet
The four-nation Eurofighter consortium has awarded BAE Systems a contract worth £133 million ($169 million) to conduct further development work on its Striker II helmet-mounted display system.
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NewsCongress orders review of US air-to-air missile inventory needs
A provision in the draft legislation covering 2025 Pentagon operations would require the US Air Force and US Navy to assess their inventory requirements for air-to-air missiles, including possible extension of AIM-120 AMRAAM production beyond 2028.
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NewsT-6 Texan to replace Fuji T-7 as JASDF basic trainer
Tokyo has selected the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II to replace the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF’s) fleet of Fuji T-7s in the basic training role.
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NewsNorthrop begins production of first E-2D for French navy
The three airborne command and control turboprops will replace France’s fleet of E-2C Hawkeye 2000 aircraft.
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NewsLawmakers move to cut US F-35 purchases over ‘long-standing’ sustainment issues
A provision in wide-ranging defence legislation covering Pentagon operations for 2025 would limit new acquisitions of the Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter to 48 examples until concerns about availability rates and aircraft sustainment are addressed.
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NewsIsrael strikes hit Syrian navy amid leadership uncertainty
The Israeli ministry of defence has confirmed it sank at least 15 Syrian naval vessels in the ports of Al-Bayda and Latakia as the region waits to see who will take control of the war-torn country’s new government.
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NewsSlovakia to acquire three Embraer C-390 airlifters
Slovakia has selected Embraer’s C-390 tactical transport, and plans to advance a three-unit deal early next year.
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AnalysisUK’s modified Excalibur testbed flies through initial stability campaign
The unique Boeing 757 that will be employed in support of the UK’s Future Combat Air System activity has completed a first series of post-modification sorties.
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NewsKazakhstan welcomes its first A400M airlifter in Almaty
Kazakhstan has become the ninth nation to field the A400M tactical transport, with Airbus Defence & Space having handed over its lead of two examples in Almaty.
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NewsDutch and Austrian C-390s to get Elbit self-protection boost
Elbit Systems has been awarded contracts worth a combined $175 million to provide electronic warfare (EW) and self-protection equipment for integration with new tactical transport aircraft and helicopters on order for two European operators.
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NewsSyrian Il-76 disappears from flight tracking as ousted president defects to Russia
With a lightning advance of rebel fighters reaching Damascus, the country’s dictatorial president Bashar al-Assad fled the capital around the time a Syrian Air flight originating in Damascus disappeared from tracking over the rebel-controlled city of Homs.
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In depthNational leaders argue strong defence industry is essential to USA’s geopolitical position
Amid a turbulent transition into a new presidential administration in Washington, senior figures in the government are urging a continued commitment to the USA’s defence industry, at a time of precarious global security.
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NewsCroatian air force retires Europe’s last MiG-21 fighters
The last European user of the Cold War-era Mikoyan MiG-21 – Croatia – has formally withdrawn the aged type from frontline use, as it continues to transition to the Dassault Aviation Rafale.
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NewsGerman Eurofighter launches Luftwaffe’s first Meteor missile
Germany has conducted its first firing of MBDA’s Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile from one of its Eurofighter combat aircraft.
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NewsQatar broadens defence partnership with the UK, including pilot training
Qatar and the UK have broadened their defence partnership, with new initiatives including “extending and expanding collaboration and knowledge sharing across the joint UK-Qatar [Eurofighter] Typhoon and [BAE Systems] Hawk aircraft squadrons”.
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NewsCommander of USAF bomber force sees need to re-evaluate B-21 fleet plans
A senior US Air Force leader suggests that it would be prudent to consider obtaining significantly more Northrop Grumman B-21 bombers given the existing nature of threats.
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NewsOutgoing US Air Force leaders defer sixth-generation fighter decision to Trump administration
After promising for months to deliver a new strategy for the next generation of new aircraft development, civilian leaders of the US Air Force are deferring a decision on the service’s sixth-generation fighter programme to the incoming administration of Donald Trump.